


Age is but a number

by deltorafray



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 14x06 Coda, Episode: s14e06 Optimism, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Season/Series 14, coda fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 07:23:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16656745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deltorafray/pseuds/deltorafray
Summary: Dean is kinda bothered by Jack's "old man" comment but Cas makes him feel better about it





	Age is but a number

**Author's Note:**

> I'm ignoring a lot of the angsty stuff about the season, like the impending Michael thing, and also that thing that happened at the end of episode 14x06. Sue me

Dean is peering at himself in the small, cloudy mirror in his bedroom, turning his head this way and that, scrutinizing his reflection.  He pokes at the crinkles in the corners of his eyes and the slight droopiness in the skin under his lower lashes.  He frowns in consternation, and then, not liking the way it pronounces the deep lines on his forehead, quickly relaxes his face and rubs at the area with his fingertips, as though the very action would erase the creases and restore them to a more youthful smoothness.  In horror, he realizes that there are flecks of grey on his stubble and the short hairs around his temple.

This is how Cas finds him, when the angel barges into the room without knocking, making him jerk in surprise.

“Okay, so Jack’s finally gone to bed, but- “ Cas stops short as he spots Dean hovering guiltily over by the mirror.  “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Dean answers much too quickly.

Cas squints at him dubiously.  “Uh-huh.” 

Dean shifts his weight from one foot to the other, chewing on his bottom lip.  “Cas, do you think I’m old?” He blurts out.

The moment the words leave his mouth and Cas turns to give him an incredulous look, Dean regrets saying it.  But it’s too late now.

“Dean, you do realize I’m several billion years old and you’re only forty?”

Dean waves a hand dismissively.  “That doesn’t count.  Besides, your human body doesn’t age so it’s not like-“ he freezes as a horrifying realization comes over him.  “Dude, are you gonna look like this forever?  Am I gonna get all grey and wrinkly and you’ll just keep on keeping on with that hot bod and I’m just gonna look like a cradle-robbing crypt-keeper when we go out?”

Castiel stares at him, bewildered.  “What?”

“Never mind,” Dean muttered, turning away to shrug off his outer flannel and climbing into bed.

“Dean, are you having a midlife crisis?”

“Shut up.  No I’m not.”

Dean lies flat on his back on the mattress, hands resting primly on his stomach as he resolutely ignores the way Cas continues to stare at him. 

Eventually, the angel sighs, taking off his outer layers and setting them on their usual spot on the corner armchair.  He joins his husband on the bed, lying on his side facing him.

“Is this about what Jack said while you were on the case?”

Dean grunts non-committally.                                           

“Because I was under the impression that it was all just a ruse to trick the suspect into trusting you.”

Dean snorts.  “Yeah, and I believe what I said was, ‘make it realistic, kid’.  And that’s what he came up with."

Dean knows that he’s pouting, but he can’t help it.  He also knows that Cas never takes him seriously when gets all sulky like this so he refuses to look at him and see the teasing smirk that he’d inevitably find there.  He’s having a full-on crisis here, he doesn’t appreciate being made fun of.

Cas doesn’t laugh at him though.  He lays his head on Dean’s shoulder and puts an arm around him, taking one of his hands and lacing their fingers together. 

“Dean, you know I love all of humanity.  But if I have to be completely honest, I’ve yet to meet a forty-year-old man who looks as young and handsome as you.” 

Dean scoffs.  “Says the guy trying to get into my pants.”

“I’m being serious.  I’m not just saying this because I’m sleeping with you.  And it’s not just you.  You and Sam are both remarkably good-looking men.”

“Dude!”

“I’m just saying.  You two really won the genetic lottery there.”

Dean throws Cas a dirty look.

“Okay, maybe not in the ‘fated to be the vessels of archangels’ sense.  But perhaps that’s why Fate imbued you with physical features superior from the average man.  For compensation.”

Dean peers at Cas from the corner of his eye and sees the angel’s lips twitching in mirth.  That asshole.

“Shut up, Cas.  I’m not being vain or anything.  I know I still got it.  Just the other day, I could’ve picked up that waitress at that diner,” Dean says petulantly.  “I knew she was eyeing me.  But I didn’t, cause I knew _you_ wouldn’t like it.”

“Much appreciated,” Cas says solemnly, pecking him softly on the lips.

Cas’s thumb is rubbing circles on the back of Dean’s hand and it’s a soothing gesture.

Dean sighs.  “I’m turning forty in like two months, Cas.  That’s insane.”

“Why is that insane?”

“I don’t know.  It’s just so … old.  Hunters rarely even get to live this long.  What do people even do when they’re forty?  Settle down and have kids?”

“Is that what you want?”  Cas looks completely sincere, not a trace of his previous teasing left in his eyes.  He looks as though he’s wholly prepared to give Dean anything he asks for. 

“Maybe?” Dean says quietly.

Cas props his head up on his elbow so he can look at Dean properly.  His other hand cups Dean’s face, rubbing a thumb across his cheekbone.  “You have a place to come home to, where you have a room to keep your belongings, a garage for your car, and your brother just down the hall.  I’d say that’s settling down.  And as for children, I suppose there’s Jack.  We’ve taken care of him since he was born and we’re teaching him about hunting and the world in general.  It’s probably not the same, but it’s close.”

Dean doesn’t miss the way Cas said ‘we’ when he spoke about Jack.  “The kid does think of you as his Dad.”

Cas smiles, shifting his body so that he’s lying fully on top of Dean.  “And you’re my husband.  So what does that make you?”

“The evil step-Dad,” Dean smirks, waggling his eyebrows.  “No, wait!  Since you’re the one who's much, much older than me, you’d be the cradle-robbing old man and I’m the young, hot, trophy-husband step-Dad.”

“Perfect,” Cas says, laughing, leaning down to kiss his young, beautiful, arm-candy of a husband.


End file.
